Boyne City passes on trail grant

BOYNE CITY - On a split vote Tuesday, the Boyne City City Commission opted not to take advantage of a $14,000 grant to fund a nature trial near the Boyne River.

Facing a looming deadline, the Friends of the Boyne River organization had asked the city for permission to make improvements to a quarter-mile segment of trail along the south side of the Boyne River on a city-owned parcel of property in the Boyne City Industrial Park.

The trail, which includes some old logging trails, is accessed from Lexamar Drive near Moll Drive. The area has been used by cyclists and hikers and some motorized vehicles for some time.

On Nov. 10, 2008, the Friends of the Boyne River received a grant from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation to pay for a project that would include creating a parking area near the road, installing a gate to prevent motor vehicle access, trail improvements, informational signs and stabilization of the area to prevent further erosion.

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Recently the organization received notice from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation that it would cancel the grant if substantial action toward implementing the program does not take place before Nov. 1.

The question of the trail came before the commission on May 26. However at that time the commission took no action on the matter, referring it back to the parks and recreation board to consider possible conflicting trail uses for the area. That review is still ongoing.

Although the entire commission agreed that protecting the area from damage from motor vehicles and additional erosion are good ideas, concerns over limiting future use of the area without fully gauging community sentiment prompted three members of the commission to vote against moving forward with the nature trail project.

Vondra, in particular was concerned that language in the grant that requires that the trail be for pedestrian use only could limit city's future uses of the property.

Stackus agreed, saying that the commission has not solicited enough community input on the matter to make an informed decision based on the community's wishes.

Of particular concern to some of the commissioners was that actions to create the nature trail could preclude other proposed uses for the property, including creating a trail for bicycles and/or snowmobiles that would link Boyne City and Boyne Falls.

Grunch, however said that the issue has been debated enough in various boards over the past year, it's important that the area be stabilized and that the nature trail would not preclude creating another trail nearby in the future.